In a few days, the professional career of Caitlin Clark will begin, when on Friday, May 3, the Indiana Fever will visit the Dallas Wings for the first game in the preseason of the WNBA. It is estimated that this game will set a record for viewership and attendance for the league, due to the great media impact of the basketball player who broke all records at the collegiate level with Iowa.
Now Caitlin Clark appears to be on the verge of setting another record.
What will Caitlin Clark's new commercial contract be?
The most prolific scorer in NCAA Division I history and first overall pick in the WNBA draft will continue to be associated with Nike by signing a $28 million contract for an eight-year period that includes an exclusive athletic footwear.
The newspaper The Wall Street Journal and the website The Athletic reported the pending agreement, citing unnamed individuals familiar with the negotiations between the sports giant brand and Clark's agents.
Excel Sports Management, the agency representing Clark, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. There was also no response from Nike.
The initial contract for Clark's name, image, and likeness, signed in 2022, expired at the end of the 2023-24 season. The new agreement will be the most lucrative sports sponsorship deal for a female basketball player in history.
Which other brands also wanted to sign with Caitlin Clark?
Under Armour and Adidas also participated in contractual discussions with Clark's team in February, according to The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic. Puma also showed interest, but dropped out when they were informed that the floor was set at 3 million dollars.
Clark received offers of 16 million dollars for four years from Under Armour, and 6 million dollars for four years from Adidas. Both offers included an exclusive sports shoe deal, according to reports.
Clark had an approximate income of 3 million dollars for image rights in Iowa through agreements he had with State Farm, Gatorade, and other brands.
In contrast to her commercial agreements, Clark will have an annual contract with the Indiana Fever for "just" 76 thousand dollars, which can reach 100 thousand with some bonuses. But this is not a slight from the WNBA team: they simply cannot pay her more due to the salary cap and because it is the maximum amount stipulated by the regulations for a rookie player.